Some 1.2 million trees are now growing as part of a successful millennium project, writes Gerry Egan
The People's Millennium Forests project is widely recognised as the single biggest contribution to the conservation of native woodlands in the past century. It is a pity that Fintan O'Toole should choose, in his column of April 11th, to denigrate such a positive and successful project that is good for the environment and so well regarded by leading environmentalists without verifying the facts with Coillte or seeking any comment before publication.
A number of woodland-related projects were put forward in 1999 for consideration by the National Millennium Committee. The project selected was the People's Millennium Forests project, which involved the restoration of 1,500 acres of native woodland at 16 locations on the island of Ireland. Some 14 of the locations were on land belonging to Coillte - one was in Killarney National Park under the management of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), one belonged to Westmeath County Council - and two in Northern Ireland were under the control of the Northern Ireland Forest Service. These sites were selected by a group representative of NGOs concerned with native trees, the Heritage Council, NPWS, the Forest Service and Coillte.
Funding to undertake the project was secured from the National Millennium Committee and from AIB. Coillte was invited to manage the project in partnership with Woodlands of Ireland (an umbrella group of State agencies) and NGOs concerned with the conservation of native trees.
At its core, this was a nature conservation and restoration project. Some of the forests selected simply required to be fenced to keep out grazing animals. These areas of existing native woodlands had to be supplemented by the planting of additional native trees, and this is where the household tree initiative came into being.
Minister Séamus Brennan, chairman of the National Millennium Committee, suggested that one way to engage the public in the project was to designate each tree planted to one household and to issue each household with a certificate to identify where it was planted. This certificate did not purport to confer ownership of the tree; rather it was a means of engaging people and creating a sense of shared ownership of the People's Millennium Forests initiative.
For the record, 1.2 million trees were planted - one for every household. Certificates were issued assigning a number to each tree and identifying where each tree was planted. Contrary to Mr O'Toole's assertion, there is a database recording the location of each tree planted and it is possible for anyone holding a certificate to identify their designated tree to within an area of say 30m by 30m. It is not possible to identify, for example, the third tree in the fourth row as, say, tree no 927. To do so would have involved tagging or otherwise identifying each individual tree - which was impractical. There was also a concern that, if people tried to find each individual tree, many trees would have been damaged- these trees were only 12 to 15 inches high when planted.
The whole tenor of Fintan O'Toole's column is that the project was a failure and that the public has been deceived. In reality, the project is very successful and has been carried out exactly as promised. Some 1,500 acres of native woodlands were restored, 1.2 million trees were planted, the trees are growing very well and the location of each household's tree is recorded on their certificate, at the relevant forest, and in the project records for posterity.
Coillte maintains the forests and progress is professionally assessed by a project-monitoring board on which the project partners and sponsors are represented. The partners in the project have agreed that these areas will be managed as native woodlands in perpetuity for the benefit of the people of Ireland.
The trees planted are now five years old and are 1-1.5m high. In human terms, they are still infants and need time to develop. Over the next 150 years, the trees will grow to become vibrant, vital forests that will be a fitting celebration of the start of the third millennium and a legacy for future generations. In about 20 years, some trees will be removed to create space for others to develop in accordance with good forestry practice. Also, through process of natural selection, some trees will thrive while others will be suppressed. This, of course, means that only a proportion of the 1.2 million trees planted in 2000 will grow to become the majestic specimens of oak or ash that come to mind when we think of native forests.
It is because of this transition from individual trees to forests over time that the People's Millennium Forests project encourages people to share in the experience of a growing forest rather than be individual owners of single trees.
Coillte is a commercial State company and its mandate is enshrined in the legislation that established it in 1989. By any measurement, Coillte is a successful State enterprise and is proud of its achievements. Coillte has a proven commitment to managing its forests sustainably and has, since 2001, held international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification that its forests are well managed in accordance with strict environmental, social and economic criteria. Coillte frequently engages with its stakeholders on many issues.
Had Fintan O'Toole contacted us, Coillte could have ensured he was properly informed about the project, its progress and what can be expected from these People's Millennium Forests as they grow through different stages to maturity.
Gerry Egan is company secretary of Coillte Teoranta (The Irish Forestry Board)